ANDERSON, S.C. – With four players in double figures, the Anderson men's basketball team notched its third win in twelve days by rolling past Southern Wesleyan, 87-61, in nonconference action, Wednesday night at the Abney Athletic Center.
Anderson (7-4) has won two straight decisions and three of its last four, while improving to 6-1 at home on the season. Southern Wesleyan fell to 2-10 with its fourth loss in five outings.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Senior guard Randall Shaw tossed in a game-high 19 points, including 14 in the first half, and pulled down six rebounds. Senior guard Andrew Boynton added 13 points and handed out a season-high four assists. Senior guard Gage Ellis, the reigning SAC Player of the Week, netted 11 points in 23 minutes of action, with freshman forward Satchel Hester chipping in 10 points. Junior guard Shawn Benard recorded a game-high nine rebounds and handed out seven assists, while seniors Kevin Simpson and Jeremy Bouton notched nine points and eight points, respectively.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
Boynton opened the contest by dropping in the first of his three treys on the day from the top of the key, with Southern Wesleyan countering with two quick baskets to claim its only lead of the game.
The Trojans responded with 10 unanswered points as part of a 13-2 outburst and built a 16-7 advantage by holding the Warriors scoreless for nearly four minutes. Shaw's third 3-pointer of the opening frame boosted AU to a double-digit, 26-15, cushion midway through the half and the Trojans steadily built on the lead, while claiming a 51-30 halftime advantage.
Second Half
Southern Wesleyan scored four of the first five points in the second stanza to close within 18, but would get no closer over the final 19 minutes of the contest, with AU taking a 68-36 lead – its largest of the game – with more than 13 minutes left in the contest.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE GAME
The Trojans were 30-of-56 (53.6%) from the field, marking their third-highest shooting accuracy of the season.
NOTABLES
• Led by Shawn Benard's game-high seven assists, the Trojans dished out 18 assists on the day – their second-highest total of the season.
• The Trojans out-rebounded SWU, 40-32.
• The Trojans improved to 6-1 at home on the season - the last time the Trojans won six of their first seven home games was during the 2011-12 season.
• Every Trojan (11) that played scored at least two points.
• AU swept the season series with the Warriors for the second straight year and has won six straight in the series.
• The Trojans have surpassed their home win total from a year ago.
• The 51 first-half points were the most in an opening half by the Trojans this season and were eclipsed only by AU's 61 second-half points scored against North Greenville.
UP NEXT
Following a 10-day layoff, Anderson will wrap up its five-game homestand, as well as its nonconference schedule by playing host to Lee-McRae, Sunday, Dec. 30. Tip-off versus the Bobcats is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Abney Athletic Center.